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Deputy Accused Of Attack On Wife

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By JOSH POLTILOVE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 8, 2008

TAMPA - TAMPA - A Hillsborough sheriff's deputy who said he had always wanted to spend his life in law enforcement used a Taser on his wife then held his service pistol to her head before he was arrested and held for mental evaluation, deputies say.
Carlos Thomas Tanner, 38, a 10-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was arrested at his Dover home about 1:45 a.m. Monday. He is charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor battery-domestic violence.

Tanner was taken in under the state's Baker Act because he threatened to harm himself if he were arrested, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said. The Baker Act allows for involuntary commitment up to 72 hours for mental evaluation.

Tanner works as a community resource deputy in the Plant City area, serving as a public representative of the sheriff's office rather than a patrol deputy.

The sheriff's office said Tanner had been drinking Sunday and got into a fight with his wife of 12 years, Kristine. He pushed her onto a bed about 6:15 p.m., then took a Taser from his duty belt and used the weapon three to four times on her abdomen, the sheriff's office said.

She received burns from the Taser, which shoots electrified darts on wires from a handheld device.

Tanner then set aside the Taser and picked up his silver, semiautomatic service pistol from underneath the mattress. He placed the gun against his wife's temple for about 10 seconds, the sheriff's office said.

Kristine Tanner went to a friend's home and law enforcement was contacted. She did not need to go to a hospital, sheriff's spokeswoman Carter said.

The couple have two children.

Tanner, who was being held at Orient Road Jail on Monday, declined to comment.

Tanner was placed on administrative leave without pay. An administrative review is pending.

Tanner has several commendations in his personnel file, from helping locate a stolen vehicle to tracking down burglary suspects.

He was named District II deputy of the month in October 2005.

The Plant City High graduate received largely positive reviews in his work evaluations. However, he received a written reprimand in October 2003 for failing to respond to a subpoena.

In an October 2007 evaluation, a supervisor wrote that Tanner does good work and presents himself in a professional manner.

However, the supervisor wrote, Tanner often fails to advise his supervisor of his actions.

"I have always been interested in law enforcement, waiting for the responsibility and maturity that I feel is needed in a career that I want to spend the rest of my able years doing," Tanner wrote in July 1997. "I feel this career is a highly respectable career where I could give back to the community as much as it has given me. I will always give my law enforcement career my highest regards and strive to give 100%."

No one answered the door Monday at the Tanner home.

Johnny Page, a longtime friend, said he was shocked to hear of Tanner's arrest.

"As long as I've known him, he's been one of the finest individuals I've known," he said.

Neighbor Jesse Melton said he was unaware of Sunday's incident and described Tanner as a decent family man.

"I've known him for 12 years ... and never heard anything bad about him," said Melton, 75.

Tanner's property has been in the deputy's family for a half-century or longer, Melton said, adding that Tanner has plans to farm the 5 acres behind his house.

Reporter George Wilkens contributed to this report. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at

jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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